What were the Purtian views on financial stewardship? How can they apply to us today?

Many of us struggle with managing our finances well (I wouldn't have started this thread if I have not had a checkered financial past). I am not a personal financial counselor, and this post is not a poor substitute for that purpose. I am genuinely interested in how the Puritans would have viewed financial responsibility.

One of the common responses I have heard for not being able to give generously to the Lord's work is, "I have a lot of debt. It takes everything I make in order to pay the bills and my creditors. If I give to the church, I won't be able to meet my other obligations. Isn't that contributing to a poor witness if I can't pay my bills?" How does one answer that question? For starters, there is almost always some extra money left over after the bills are paid. These families will hardly deny themselves a vacation or going out to dinner. Still, some may be honest. They have nothing left. Do they tithe/give anyway? I have heard differing opinions. One opinion is, "Give anyway. Give your decided amount (whether it be 10% or a set amount) each week/month. Don't worry about your bills. Give first and God will provide what you need." The other school of thought is, "You have obligated yourself to the world and you need to take care of that debt first. Direct all your resources to paying off that debt. Give something to the Lord, if you can, but pay off that debt post-haste."

In addition to my inquiry into Puritan views of giving, any opinions on the previous paragraph?

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Bill Brown
Elder
Grace Baptist Church
Anne Arundel County, Maryland

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Something I'd like to know too...

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Chuck Adkins
My Ministries Web Site
Currently Between Churches...Searching...Praying...
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How about this as a wild guess...NO DEBT

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Grace Farmer
Member, Mid Cities Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Bedford, Texas

See Thomas Gouge's Riches Increased by Giving

Also, The Religious Tradesman by Richard Steele; A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter; various Puritan commentators (Poole, Henry, Watson, Ridgeley, etc.) on Malachi 3.10, 2 Cor. 9.7, 1 Tim. 5.18, and the Eighth Commandment (see also the Westminster Larger Catechism).

Other Resources on Christian Stewardship

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Andrew Myers
Husband of Jessica, Father of Jackson, Katie and Samuel
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia
Warrenton, VA USA
Editor, The Matthew Poole Project

"Let your Morning Thoughts, and your last Evening Thoughts, be what shall become of you to all Eternity." -- Matthew Poole

I agree! But what is the godly advice we are to give those that are in debt?

Thank you Andrew.

You're welcome, Bill. To answer this question, I would paraphrase Richard Steele thus: justice requires the satisfaction of all lawful debts incurred and necessitates the payment of all lawfully imposed obligations. Thus, all creditors should be recompensed, and all taxes paid, and certainly all ministers supported and diaconal ministry sustained by charitable contribution (the laborer is worthy of his reward and God requires a tithe on our increases anyway). In general, I think a person should either be supported by the church or supporting the ministry of the church. An obligation to pay back creditors does not remove the obligation to pay taxes or to tithe, both of which obligations stand apart from the debts that one may incur. The Eighth Commandment requires us to give as we are able in each situation and to aim to be good stewards so that our obligations do not exceed our ability to pay and so our resources are invested in the service of Christ's kingdom.